PLEASE HELP I DON"T KNOW WHAT TO DO

[NatJ]

They USUALLY make plenty of sense. My dad is a CFO, so he should know how money works? I think? I really don't know what's going on with this.

He's making choices that seem sensible to him, based on things that either you don't know or that he considers important and you don't.

It happens all the time--different people consider different things when making choices. It's not just parents/children, either. I know plenty of adults that make choices in different ways, and disagree about what's "best."

 

[littledog]

I don't want to judge your parents, and I'm not qualified to pass judgments about what they consider worthwhile to spend their money on.
But spending $1400 to rent a tiny coop full of spent battery chickens for several months that you're supposed to give back after that time, seems like a huge waste of money. When for $500 they could have bought a better coop or hired an experienced coop builder to make an attractive and roomy and healthy coop for the chickens you want to raise.
And it's great that they were willing to buy an extension for your run, but it doesn't seem worthwhile to spend $80 on such a small space, when $80 in materials could have built a much bigger and better space.
Sorry to be so judgey.
I wish the best for you, keep fighting for the best for your chickens, and everything else that's important to you.

 

[aart]

I don't want to judge your parents, and I'm not qualified to pass judgments about what they consider worthwhile to spend their money on.

Then don't.
Are you a parent?

 

[black_cat]

Please let's not get into an argument on what your judgement on my parents is. I personally don't see eye to eye with them on this subject, but what's done is done. I have this thread going because I need help and advice with my current situation. The two things that I would like to be clear on are
A) I am 99% sure that nobody will be able to talk me into wanting to give back these hens. I care a lot about them and want to give them good lives.
B) I understand that I am not an adult, and sometimes struggle to see the reasoning behind people's thoughts. I'm trying very hard to think of this from an adult's point of view.
This thread has been immensely helpful to me so far. I don't want to cause arguments or issues, I just need advice.

 

[Tinyraptortamer]

You need advice yet you aren’t listening to it. How many times do you have to be told these chickens and the coop should just go back and you start all this when your on your own?

on top of everything you are leaving for 3 weeks already leavi your parents essentially in charge.

 

[black_cat]

You need advice yet you aren’t listening to it. How many times do you have to be told these chickens and the coop should just go back and you start all this when your on your own?

on top of everything you are leaving for 3 weeks already leavi your parents essentially in charge.

I should clarify. I would like advice on how to help with the current setup, that will stay in place until the rental finishes or I make a better setup. If the advice is that I should give the birds back and forget about it, I have heard that already and that is not what I am doing.

 

[NatJ]

on top of everything you are leaving for 3 weeks already leavi your parents essentially in charge.

The parents made the final decision about renting these chickens. I assume they already knew their child would be going to camp, and that they would be responsible during that time.

The adults who rented the chickens are the ones ultimately responsible for those chickens right now. Yes, black_cat is providing the daily care at present, and is getting suggestions about details they are able to change. But let's not pester black_cat to do something that can only be done by the adults (return the chickens, cancel a trip).

Also, we are only seeing one side of things here. Maybe the parents also want chickens for themselves. Maybe they are getting advice from someone else. We just do not know.

 

[aart]

Also, we are only seeing one side of things here.

Ditto Dat.

 

[black_cat]

Today's chicken update:
The new run has been working very well! They seem a lot happier. Before they would just stand around, now they are happily scratching and dusting.
What I've been doing is I've been putting the feeder and waterer in the new run (the top opens up, so easy access) when they have access, and moving it back to the coop when they don't have access, and it has worked SO WELL. So much less mess! I completely replaced all of the shavings in the coop (they spilled water everywhere) and it was worth the effort! It is much better in there now. Still no eggs. They had been fighting over food and water a bit, so I added alternate food and water sources (cups zip tied to side) and that has diffused the fighting very well. They would also see the sky through the connecting chicken wire, and try to fly up and out. I was worried they would hurt themselves, so I put a towel over it and that has definitely worked. I've been thinking that I should maybe deworm them. How does deworming work? Is it ok to do it just in case? What dewormer should you use? How does one actually do it? I like the idea of doing it just in case, because they have been carted around they might have picked something up. Any advice/info on that?

 

[Ruby Rogue]

I'm new to this thread but I just wanna say: good job taking care of your chickens...hope everything works out for you...and don't give anything any kind of medication unnecessary.